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Canto 6 · Prescribed Duties for Mankind · 19 chapters

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How to study this verse, in six steps
  1. 1Chant the verse. Say the Sanskrit slowly and carefully.
  2. 2Read the word meanings. Go through each Sanskrit word and its meaning.
  3. 3Find the meaning yourself. Before the translation, piece the meaning together from the words.
  4. 4Read the translation. Ask: what is the Lord teaching here, and how does it apply to my life?
  5. 5Read the purport slowly. Read it two or three times. Don't rush.
  6. 6Write down what touched you. Note the main points in your own notebook.
Read the full guide: how to hear the Bhāgavatam ›
Canto 6 · Chapter 1: The History of the Life of Ajāmila
6.1.406.1.42

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam · Text 6.1.41

Āśraya· The supreme shelter
Who is speaking and story frame
Speaking:The Yamadūtassince 6.1.40inside 3 frames: Sūta Gosvāmī → the sages at NaimiṣāraṇyaŚukadeva Gosvāmī → King ParīkṣitThe Viṣṇudūtas → the Yamadūtas

येन स्वधाम्न्यमी भावा रज:सत्त्वतमोमया: ।

गुणनामक्रियारूपैर्विभाव्यन्ते यथातथम् ॥ ४१ ॥

yena sva-dhāmny amī bhāvā

rajaḥ-sattva-tamomayāḥ

guṇa-nāma-kriyā-rūpair

vibhāvyante yathā-tatham

Translation

The supreme cause of all causes, Nārāyaṇa, is situated in His own abode in the spiritual world, but nevertheless He controls the entire cosmic manifestation according to the three modes of material nature — sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa. In this way all living entities are awarded different qualities, different names [such as brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya and vaiśya], different duties according to the varṇāśrama institution, and different forms. Thus Nārāyaṇa is the cause of the entire cosmic manifestation.

Read Śrīla Prabhupāda's purport on Vedabase.io
1

Understand it

Three study points drawn from the translation and purport.

Kṛṣṇa Is the Cause of All Causes

  1. 1

    Nārāyaṇa remains in His spiritual abode while supervising the entire cosmic manifestation without endeavor. His many energies make this possible.

  2. 2

    The interactions of goodness, passion and ignorance produce different bodies, qualities and activities. Everything operates under the perfect Lord’s supervision.

  3. 3

    Those bewildered by the three modes cannot recognize the supreme cause behind all activities. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller, the origin of all, with an eternal, blissful, spiritual body.

Key points from the purport
  • Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is almighty, omnipotent.
  • He has multifarious energies, and therefore He is able to remain in His own abode and without endeavor supervise and manipulate the entire cosmic manifestation through the interaction of the three modes of material nature — sattva-guṇa, rajo-guṇa and tamo-guṇa.
  • Atheistic men, however, being covered by the three modes of material nature, cannot see Nārāyaṇa to be the supreme cause behind all activities.

Śrīla Prabhupāda's own sentences, chosen from the purport as its central points. Read the full purport on Vedabase to see them in place.

Connected verses· 1

The purport of SB 6.1.41 quotesBG 7.13

As Kṛṣṇa says in Bhagavad-gītā (7.13): “Deluded by the three modes, the whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and inexhaustible.”

Each link is a verse the purport itself quotes, or a purport elsewhere that quotes this verse, shown with the purport's own words.

How it feels

Guilt and mortal terror → Mercy and renewed devotion. The holy name opens a path beyond an apparently hopeless death.

Chapters 1–3 of Canto 6: Ajāmila and the Viṣṇudūtas. An editorial reading of the story's mood, not the text itself. See the emotional arc

Further reading

Chapter 1: The History of the Life of Ajāmila

From the chapter summary, the lines nearest this verse:

On the path of fruitive work one certainly commits sinful activities, and therefore according to the considerations of karma-kāṇḍa, different types of atonement are recommended. Such methods of atonement, however, do not free one from ignorance, which is the root of sinful life.
Read the whole chapter summaryBack to this verse in chapter 6.1
2

Word for word

Learn the Sanskrit words of the verse.

  1. yenaby whom (Nārāyaṇa)
  2. sva-dhāmnialthough in His own place, the spiritual world
  3. amīall these
  4. bhāvāḥmanifestations
  5. rajaḥ-sattva-tamaḥ-mayāḥcreated by the three modes of material nature (passion, goodness and ignorance)
  6. guṇaqualities
  7. nāmanames
  8. kriyāactivities
3

Key ideas in this verse

The subject this verse serves and the themes it speaks of.

  • Āśraya · The summum bonum

    Who is the shelter of everything? · Subject 10 of 10

  • Dharma · Duty and righteous conduct

    Right action as duty, responsibility and devotion. · Theme in SB 6.1

    In this verse: “duties”, “varṇāśrama”

  • Moha · Material attachment

    The pull of ego, desire and impermanent relationships. · Theme in SB 6.1

    In this verse: “material”

4

Live it

Take one thing from this verse into your day.

Ask yourself

How does recognizing Kṛṣṇa as the supreme cause change my view of the world?

Practice

Take a moment today to reflect on Kṛṣṇa as the cause behind the activities you observe.

5

The story around it

The story this chapter belongs to.

6

Śrīla Prabhupāda speaks

His recorded lectures on this verse, and the talks where he quotes it.

3 lectures given on it · quoted in 1 more lecture. Recordings and transcripts on prabhupada.io.

Show 1 more lecture on it
Quoted in 1 other lecture

In each of these he quotes this verse while speaking on another verse or subject. "Find the quote" opens the transcript at that spot.

Live this todayKṛṣṇa Is the Cause of All CausesThis verse's lesson: one practice and one question for today

Study points are short summaries, not the translation. Confirm them in the original text and purport on Vedabase.

Ask the BhāgavatamHave a question about SB 6.1.41? Get an answer from the verses themselves.
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